


Go After Her

by rach320



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Smallville, Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Episode Fix-it, Episode: s08e10 Bride, F/M, Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-29 22:51:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8508613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rach320/pseuds/rach320
Summary: Bride fix-it offering a bit of insight into Clark's decision making (why I think he went back to Lana in the episode for that short arc) flowing into what I think should have happened so that proper closure occurred.





	

He’s in Lana’s hospital room, sitting on the edge of her bed and making sure that she’s okay. It’s what he does, how their relationship always works. Lana cries for help and Clark rushes in to save they day. And once upon a time, Clark relished the feeling of saving a damsel in distress—his damsel in distress—so certain that they were meant to be together and that saving her was what he was supposed to be doing. But then she left and broke his heart into a million pieces and that hurt, that god awful hurt, was exactly what he needed to take the first tentative step towards his destiny.

 

So he started working at the Planet and moonlighting as the Red-Blue Blur and suddenly Clark’s destiny isn’t just to save Lana Lang from the situations she finds herself in, some of her making and some not. No, Clark can help everyone, save random strangers who he will never see again. He can use his powers, the same powers that he always thought of as a curse, to make a difference in the world. And suddenly, being with someone who constantly needs saving isn’t appealing to Clark anymore.

 

But here he sits in her hospital room, after a beautiful wedding turning into a God awful mess, brushing her hair out of her face and looking into her doe eyes that were once filled with such innocence and hope, but now carry something much darker. She’s familiar, safe. She knows who he is and where he comes from and it would be so easy to fall back into their old push and pull, even if she’s no longer the same girl he fell in love with all those years ago. 

 

Hell, Clark’s not even certain that what they had could be even called love. Maybe for an instant, it was; A love full of childish joy and ignorance about the realities of the world. She had represented everything Clark thought he wanted—a normal life. But he’s not normal and while a part of him wishes that he could be, he knows that he’s not. He has a responsibilty to this world and to ignore it for his ridiculous dreams of normality would leave him feeling guilty and empty. He knows this now.

 

A small voice in the back of his mind tickles his thought, taunting him with promises of a shared history and that this time, this time would be different. That they would finally be happy and it wouldn’t be strained and awkward and unfulfilling. That this time he’d maybe finally call her sweetheart, the way his father always did his mother. And as she smiles at him that sweet, innocent smile, one that he now knows hides her more devious side, he almost gives in.

 

But then there’s a flash of burnt orange in his periphery and his senses are suddenly inundated with memories of just a few hours ago, before all hell broke loose. Lois, looking so beautiful in her bridesmaid dress, her beaming smile never leaving her face as she realised that her military-precision planning had paid off and that the wedding was going off without a hitch. Of course, not even she could have planned for a monster to crash into the barn, stealing the bride and nearly eviscerating the groom.

 

Abruptly, Clark finds himself standing, striding purposefully towards the door and towards Lois. He had lost her in the chaos of the attack, both of them trying their best to make sure that those who needed medical attention got it and help those who were uninjured get out of the rubble that was once the Kent barn. And as he faces her now, he finally sees just how shaken she is, so shaken that not even the famous Lane walls can hide her tumultuous emotions.

 

“Lois,” he greets, his voice surprisingly breathy. “How are you holding up?”

 

She shrugs, trying valiantly to rebuild her walls and to stop the tears that are threatening to overflow. “Jimmy’s in bad shape.”

 

He frowns, eyebrows furrowing at her statement. “The nurse said they had him stabilised.”

 

“But he’s not out of the woods.” She corrects, studiously ignoring his gaze, because she can’t look at him, she just can’t. Because if she does, everything that she’s trying to bottle up will be exposed and he will be able to see everything. Clark always could read her better than anyone else and he can’t see how much she’s hurting; How scared she is for Chloe, for Jimmy. And most of all, he can’t see just how much his reaction to Lana’s return hurt her. No, she has to keep whatever semblance of walls she has remaining up because she can’t let him in. Not now, not ever.

 

Taking a shuddering breath and ignoring his comforting hand on her shoulder, she continues. “He has severe internal bleeding. They’re med-evacing him to Star City to one of the country’s top surgeons. I’m gonna go with him.” She states, looking in his eyes to find some clue to his emotions, but finds herself unable to read his stormy blues. Clark has always been a mystery to her, the one person she could never completely peg, and now, when she needs him to be transparent so that she can know for sure if she should bottle up her feelings, he remains one.

 

“Lois…” He says, so softly she almost doesn’t hear him.

 

She doesn’t let him speak, barreling forward in true Lois Lane fashion. “I’ll stay there until I hear from… Chloe.” Her voice chokes at her cousin’s name and she looks towards the ceiling, biting her tongue to keep the tears at bay. “Why did this have to happen to her? Why do these terrible things keep happening all around us?”

 

For just a moment, Lois sees a flash of recognisable emotion in his eyes, an emotion that strangely looks like guilt, before he speaks, his voice gentle. “I promise,” He says, his voice firm and not betraying any of the emotions Lois could see brewing behind his façade. She may pride herself on her walls, but Clark is just as adept as her at keeping people out and emotions in. “We’re going to get Chloe back.”

 

She believes him. Against her better judgement, Lois finds herself believing in Clark, believing that they will get Chloe back. “What if we can’t?” She asks, turning around and letting the question hang between them, a ghost alluding to more than just her cousin’s kidnapping, a double entendre she’s sure that Clark won’t understand.

 

And she walks towards the elevator, feeling Clark’s eyes on her, and bites back the tears. She can’t cry, not until she’s safely in the elevator and he can’t see or hear her. Because whatever moment they had on the dance floor, Lois has a sinking feeling that it has passed and that it’s never coming back. Lana has returned and Clark will fall once again into her trap of faked innocence and then Lana will leave and break his heart and Lois will once again pick up the pieces. No, she will not allow herself to get entangled in their messy romance. She won’t be hurt in their newest go-a-round. Not her, not Lois Lane.

 

Clark watches, his heart in his stomach, as Lois walks towards the elevator. And he feels as if the decision was taken from him. Lois is leaving for who knows how long and Lana is here and it seems inevitable that they will take up their dance once again, no matter how doomed. The pit in Clark’s stomach gets bigger as with sobering clarity, he finally realises what emotion was hidden behind the sadness in her eyes: Vulnerability. Lois was being vulnerable, showing her softer side to him.

 

The realisation hits him like the searing pain of Kryptonite and all of a sudden, Clark can’t move, can’t do anything but watch her slowly retreating figure. Lois doesn’t let people in. She hides everything behind carefully constructed walls because if people got in, if people saw her vulnerability, she would get hurt. But Clark, he knows that he got in. Against all odds, he got in. And then he hurt her.

 

Their moment on the dance floor—their almost kiss—replays in his head as waves of guilt roll over him. They had been about to kiss and then Lana had appeared and Clark had been so shocked that he hadn’t even noticed that Lois had slipped away until after he and Lana had had their talk and after that monster had caused his damage. He had acted like an idiot and as a result, he hurt her. And now, Lana seems to be his only possibility because as Lois walks away, Clark can see her shutting him out. Brick by brick she’s building up her walls again and it will be nearly impossible for Clark to get in again. He blew his chance with her and now she’s leaving and his ex’s in a hospital bed, clearly expecting them to get back together, and he’s stood, frozen and wracked with guilt for more than one reason, in the hospital corridor.

 

“Clark,” The voice is soft besides him, but Clark immediately recognises it as Oliver. The blond stands next to him, stoic and exhausted. “Go after her.”

 

The words are enough to jumpstart the remaining circuitry in Clark’s brain and with a shout in a voice that he barely recognises as his own, he calls out to her. “Lois!”

 

The woman in question stills, her finger dangling above the elevator call button. He can hear her breathing hitch, that last bit of hope swelling inside her as her shoulders raise in hopeful apprehension. But still, she doesn’t turn around, can’t turn around. Just in case what he’s saying isn’t what she wants to hear, Lois won’t turn around and show him just how vulnerable she really is.

 

With determined steps, Clark rushes forward, hand encircling her delicate arm and gently turning her around to face him. Her eyes are watery and he once again feels like the biggest idiot in the universe because he knows that he is the reason behind too many of those tears. He never wants to be the one to cause her pain, but it’s too late because he has. And now all he can do is hope that what he’s about to do next won’t backfire horrifically and that she hasn’t had enough time to fully reinforce her walls just yet.

 

“We never got to finish our dance.” He speaks quietly, but firmly, eyes searching hers for a reaction, and his heart nearly breaks as he watches more uncertainty and sadness flood her beautiful face.

 

“Clark—“ She starts, prepared with a laundry list of reasons as to why they shouldn’t talk about that dance, not now, not ever again. But she doesn’t get a chance to list them because all of a sudden, his lips are on hers and Lois’ eyes widen in shock before closing as she returns the kiss.

 

His strong arms wrap securely around her waist and Lois allows herself to melt into him, hands gripping onto the lapels of his tux as if they’re her lifeline and maybe they are. The kiss is slow, soothing, but singed with the underlying promise of wanton desire. It speaks not only of sorrow and regret, but of love and passion, and Lois finds herself lost in his kiss, in his arms, wishing that time would stop and that they could remain in this moment forever.

 

Eventually they part, the need for air overriding the need to be closer, but Clark doesn’t let her go, holding her close to him as they catch their breaths, anchoring her to him. “There.” He says huskily, gazing down at her with love and regret; Love for her and regret for what had happened earlier that evening. “We finished it.”

 

Tentatively, Lois meets his gaze, fingers trembling against his suit, and a million thoughts flit through her mind. And as selfish as she feels for relishing in his touch when her cousin is missing and her new cousin-in-law is fighting for his life, she can’t help but wonder, hope, that that kiss was everything she wants it to be. “Clark…”

 

Her voice is so unsure that Clark rushes to stop her from speaking, to stop her from voicing any doubts, and most likely from convincing him to go back to his ex. Because he knows her and he knows that she will do everything to keep from getting hurt. “No, Lois.” He interrupts. “Please don’t tell me that that was a mistake. Because it wasn’t. Not for me.”

 

Running his hand through his hair, he sighs, trying to think about how to phrase his reply. “On the dance floor… We… There was a moment… And Lana came back and I was so shocked.” Doubt and hurt flicker in her eyes and Clark hurries to finish his argument. “I mean, she broke up with me on a DVD and I never thought I’d see her again.” He laughs, a self-deprecating one, and Lois cracks an impossibly small smile. “And I acted like an idiot because honestly, I can be kinda slow on the uptake.”

 

“Kinda?” She questions with a raised eyebrow and a tiny smirk, and in that instant, Clark knows that everything will be okay.

 

“Yes, kinda.” He rolls his eyes before continuing. “But we talked and honestly, I didn’t know what to feel and then all hell broke loose and well—when I saw you walking away just now, I’ve never felt pain like that before. And I never want to see you walk away again.”

 

“Not even for Lana Lang?”

 

The simple question reveals all her insecurities and Clark wraps his arms tighter around her waist in response, pulling her against him. “No, not even for Lana Lang. Because there is someone else right now who holds my heart and I will do everything in my power to make it work with her. Because she’s worth it and if she ever broke up with me, I’d never be able to move on.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Her smile begins to reach her eyes and Clark finds himself grinning at her happiness. “What’s her name?”

 

“Well, she’s this incredibly feisty reporter who initials also happen to be L.L.”

 

Her smile drops and he feels all of his happiness rapidly leaving him as she speaks. “I’m still going to Star City. I need to be there for Jimmy.”

 

“I know.” He nods. “You go be with Jimmy, I’ll stay here and look for Chloe. But just know, that when we get Chloe back and Jimmy gets better, I’ll be here, waiting for you. Because it’s you, Lois, it’s always been you. I… I need you.”

 

Her heart breaks in the most joyous manner at his words, tears of happiness escaping from their prison. “I need you too.” She cries, burrowing her face into his chest. It may not have been a declaration of love, but for two people who try so hard to keep everyone out, it may as well have been.

 

They stand there in front of the elevator for who knows how long before Clark slowly pulls away, grabbing her chin and staring into her stormy hazel depths. They kiss once more, slow and full of love, before Lois steps out of his warm embrace and hits the call button.

 

“I’ll be back.” She promises softly, stepping into the elevator as the doors open.

 

“I’ll be waiting.” He replies, staring at the elevator as the doors slowly close and take her away from him. Clark will find Chloe and stop the monster that caused all of this and Jimmy will get better, and then Lois will come back and he will take her out on a proper date and show her just how much he needs her.

 

Oliver approaches Clark, clapping his hand onto his friend’s shoulder. “You hurt her,” he warns, “and I will break both of your legs. And yes, I know exactly who I’m talking to. Now, don’t fuck this up.”

 

Clark chuckles, conceding to Oliver’s threat. “I don’t doubt it. I think…” He pauses, weighing his words carefully. “I think I’m going to tell her everything when she’s back and things have calmed down. If this… If we’re going to work, she needs to know.”

 

“Good.” Oliver nods. “She can handle it.”

 

“I know.”

 

Oliver smiles to himself as he watches his friend stare longingly at the elevator shaft, willing it to bring her back to him. “Come on, Boy Scout, we’ve got to go find Watchtower.”

 

Clark allows Oliver to lead him out of the hospital, Lana’s sorrowful gaze following them as they leave to find their friend. She had hoped that when she came back, no matter how frivolous it sounds in retrospect, that she and Clark would get back together. That was what they did. No matter what, they always came back to one another. But that was then, before she broke up with him on a DVD, no matter how solid her reasons. Now, Clark had moved on. He had gotten closure on their tumultuous relationship and had gathered the courage to go after the girl he truly wanted.

 

There was a moment when she watched Clark and Lois talk that Lana had been certain that Clark would come back to her. It had seemed like Clark was just going to let Lois walk away and that he would instead fall back into their on again, off again relationship. But then Oliver had approached him and Lana had watched as Clark became determined, marching resolutely towards where Lois had gone. And then, like a punch to the gut, Lana knew that Clark was no longer hers and that likely, he probably hadn’t even been truly hers during their last attempt. Clark and Lois had always had a spark, a certain chemistry. Hell, Lana had been the first one to call it, back when she had been with Jason and Clark had still been blindly devoted to her. But now his blinders were off, had been off since she had thought Bizarro was him, and Lois came into his line of sight.

 

She had considered not turning up to the wedding, knowing that her arrival would make a splash. But she hadn’t been able to resist, wanting the attention, wanting to see Clark and hoping to see the old, familiar devotion in his eyes. And now she wished she had waited, because maybe then her heart wouldn’t feel trampled by Clark having chosen Lois even though he knew that Lana was back. Maybe, if she hadn’t come to the wedding, she could have lied to herself and believed that Clark was only with Lois because he didn’t think that Lana was an option. But Lana knows Clark, knows how carefully he gives his love. No one is ever second choice with him. If he’s with them, it’s because he wants to be. And Lois could never be Clark’s second choice. But somehow, Lana knows that if Oliver hadn’t prompted Clark forward, she, Lana Lang, would have been the second choice, the only option Clark thought was available.

 

Maybe this had been Oliver’s plan all along when he had convinced her to return with him. Oliver clearly knew about the budding feelings between his friends, but probably also knew that Clark couldn’t fully be with Lois until he had moved on from his first love. After all, Oliver had convinced Lana to come to the wedding, told Lois that Clark needed her, and given Clark the final push that he needed to go after Lois just now. Yes, Oliver had probably planned to give Clark the closure that he needed, thus enabling him to go after the great love of his life. Yes, that’s what Lois is. Lana might have been Clark’s first love, but she knows that Lois is his great love, the love that will get him to fly. And Lana can’t give him that. Maybe she never could have.

 

Lana smiles sadly to herself as she sits in the hospital room. Lois will return as soon as Chloe is found, and Lana knows that Clark will do everything in his considerable power to not mess up his relationship with the leggy brunette. And Lana can’t stay and watch their relationship develop into what she knows will be an extraordinary love; It would hurt her too much. Because as much as she still loves Clark, their time together is truly over. So she will go about her business in Metropolis and then she will leave. And she will try hard not to think about different decisions she could have made; not getting in bed with the Devil in Armani, not being duped by Bizarro, not choosing to stay away from Clark when she was released from Lex’s goons. But she can't go back in time and now there is nothing more for her in Kansas, not anymore, not for Lana Lang. Because he’s now with his true love, his soul mate, his sweetheart and it isn’t the girl next door.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I don't normally write in first person so there might be some grammar slip ups BUT I thought it allowed me to properly convey a multitude of emotions so let me know what you think!
> 
> This is my present to any of my fellow Americans/people in general who are terrified by this election. Hope this takes your mind off of things!


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